Former Republican state Sen. Ralph Shortey, who was the Oklahoma state chair for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, has agreed to a guilty plea of child sex trafficking after being caught offering to pay a 17-year-old boy for sexual “stuff” last March.
Shortey was found in a Super 8 Motel room with the teenager on March 9. According to the investigating officers, when they entered the motel room it reeked of marijuana.
Text messages were found on Shortey's phone between him and the underage teen that showed the boy needed money. Shortey apparently replied “I don’t really have any legitimate things I need help right now. Would you be interested in ‘sexual’ stuff?”
As part of the plea deal, prosecutors will drop three other charges of child pornography that has been filed against him.
With a jury trial date of December 5 looming, the former "family values" lawmaker was running short on time and options. Had he faced all of the charges brought against him in court he could have spent close to the rest of his life in prison.
He'll be sentenced on November 30. The mandatory minimum sentence for sex trafficking is ten years.
Shortey, who was infamous for introducing strange legislation like banning human fetuses in food products (that happens?) has been married to his high school sweetheart since 2002.
(source)
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